Table 3.

Observed direct and indirect medical and surgical complications in patients maintained in a pentobarbital coma for refractory status epilepticus.

		Patient									Total	%
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
ICU length of stay, days		39	143	6	17	40	40	80	61	115
Length of pentobarb coma, days		4	29	1	5	3	9	62	20	105
Neurological
	Peripheral neuropathy	*	*			*	*	*	*	*	7	77.8
	Cerebral Atrophy		*					*		*	3	33.3
Respiratory
	Trach/PEG	*	*			*	*	*	*	*	7	77.8
	Ventilator > 30 days	*	*			*		*	*	*	6	66.7
	Chest tube							*	*		2	22.2
	Pulmonary embolus									*	1	11.1
Electrolyte Abnormality
	Lactic acidosis		*	*		*	*	*	*	*	7	77.8
HEENT/Skin
	Anasarca	*					*	*			3	33.3
	Tonge swelling						*	*	*		3	33.3
	Penile edema						*				1	11.1
	Exposure keratoconjunctivitis						*	*	*		3	33.3
Vascular
	DVT						*			*	2	22.2
Cardiology
	Myocardial Dysfunction							*	*		2	22.2
	Hypotension	*		*		*	*	*	*	*	7	77.8
Endocrine
	Adrenal insufficiency							*	*		2	22.2
	Hypothermia	*				*		*			3	33.3
	Hypothyroidism									*	1	11.1
Gasroenterology
	Ileus	*	*					*	*	*	5	55.6
	TPN		*					*			2	22.2
	Transaminitis		*			*		*			3	33.3
Infectious Disease
	Yeast in urine/lungs	*	*					*	*		4	44.4
	Sepsis								*		1	11.1
	PNA		*	*		*			*		4	44.4
	UTI	*					*	*	*		4	44.4
Renal
	CVVHD			*		*		*			3	33.3
	Acute renal failure					*					1	11.1
Sum		9	10	4	0	10	10	19	15	10

CVVHD, continuous veno-veno hemodialysis; DVT, deep venous thrombosis; HEENT, head/ears/eyes/nose/throat; PEG, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy; PNA, pneumonia; TPN, total parenteral nutrition; UTI, urinary tract infection.